Christchurch Community Rising to Marathon Challenge

With more
than 4000 entries, 200 volunteers and thousands of
spectators, the Christchurch Airport Marathon has become one
of the South Island’s most significant community
occasions.

On Sunday Sir Richard Hadlee will ask more than
4000 participants from 12 countries to take their mark for
the 34th running of the annual Queens Birthday Weekend
event.

The eldest is 85 year old Leo Steel from Halswell,
participating in the 10k run. At the other end of the scale,
around 500 children will line up in the Kids’ Mara’Fun,
while more than 100 secondary school students have trained
for the 10k and half marathon events as part of their NCEA
exercise science studies.

Other notables include 72 year
old Aucklanders Bill Hodge lining up for his 175thattempt at
the classic 42.2k distance. In contrast to Hodge, 65 year
old Monica Lucy Tate (Akld) and 13 year old Caleb Cross
(Chch) are taking on their first marathons.

Timaru’s
Stuart Bennett has run the half marathon at very
Christchurch Airport Marathon event for the past 33 years,
missing only the inaugural event in 1981. Christchurch’s
David Wells was a participant in that 1981 race and is
lining up again for this year’s half marathon at age
72.

In the 1980’s Gavin Stevens was representing New
Zealand as a cyclist and would eventually win a Commonwealth
games gold medal. These days the 58 year old Aucklander is a
world class masters marathon runner and on Sunday he’s
taking a crack at the age 58 world record of 2hrs 35min
51secs.

For some this year’s event is more personal.
Christchurch 37 year old Tony Cribb entered the half
marathon because he’s been “wanting to get back into
running after the small adventure of having brain surgery
for a tumour.”

A group of Athletes from the Achillies
Foundation for athletes with disability have also entered,
led by blind runner Hannah Pascoe from Invercargill in the
half marathon and severe asthmatic Leanne Byers in the
10k.

Similarly, Napier’s Warren Bernard is participating
in Christchurch as part of his bid to run 20 marathons in 20
months to raise money for LIV Village, an international
organisation rescuing and restoring orphaned
children.

Race director, Chris Cox, attributes the
continued success of the Christchurch Airport Marathon to a
simple mantra of providing something for everyone.

“The
Christchurch Airport Marathon has always been renowned as
the fastest race in New Zealand and that’s great for the
profile of the event, but we have always felt the event
should reflect the community,” says Cox. “So that means
providing something for people of all age and ability and
aspirations.

“The full marathon is always the feature
event, but over the years we have included more recreational
options such as the half marathon and the 10k and walking
options and the Kids’ Mara’Fun. These have been hugely
successful because they create a more inclusive
event.”

This year the event added a 1k distance in the
Kids’ Mara’Fun, for children under aged seven.

I think
the family appeal is important says Cox, whose own wife and
two daughters have run the event numerous times.

“When
we look through the entries, people leave comments such as
‘running with my Dad’ or ‘running with my mother’,
‘supporting my wife’... It’s quite gratifying knowing
that the event can span generations and inspire an entire
family.”

Indeed, 38 year old company director, Miles
Franklin from Nelson, commented on his entry form that his
only goal was to beat his father’s best time for the half
marathon.

The Christchurch Airport Marathon is also a fund
raiser for Ronald McDonald House South Island, the
non-profit organisation that provides accommodation for
families who have to travel from out of town for their
child’s hospital care.

Entries for the 2014 Christchurch
Airport Marathon are still open. Visit www.christchurchmarathon.co.nz or enter
on Saturday between 9:00am and 6:00pm at the event village
on Orchard Road, Christchurch Airport.

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